Early last year, a phenomenon referred to as “digital campfires” exploded among younger generations amid the onset of COVID-19—especially among Gen Z. These younger audiences started leaving many public-facing social platforms and flocking to smaller, more intimate online destinations to either private message one another, connect to a micro-community or participate in a shared experience. Digital campfires have become a force defining not only how Gen Z audiences connect, but also how they experience and share the culture at large.
Consequently, marketers can no longer afford to ignore them. Here is a quick guide to help demystify how the most popular digital campfires work, with examples of creative ways that brands can have a presence on these platforms.
· Fortnite. This gaming platform has 350 million accounts, with the majority of account holders between the ages of 14 to 24. Brands can engage users by debuting custom designs and products within the game Battle Royale for gamers to use. Another option is Creative Mode, a custom island where users interact and complete quests to earn prizes.
· Roblox. This game-creating platform has 37 million daily active users and 20 million multiplayer games and experiences. More than two-thirds of 9 to 12-year-olds in the U.S. play Roblox. The platform allows brands to create their own games and experiences on the platform to engage users.
· Discord. This platform acts as a hub for gamers to connect via text, voice and video messaging. Nearly three-fourths (79%) of the platform’s 140 million monthly active users report that they use the platform mainly for non-gaming purposes, such as cooking, street style and beauty. Because the platform does not allow advertising, brands typically create their own servers to interact with individuals.
· Twitch. Initially a platform where gamers could earn money and amass followings by live streaming their own game play, Twitch has seen a massive surge in categories outside of gaming—music, beauty, fitness and cooking, especially. The platform has more than 30 million daily users, who spend an average of 29 minutes per session, three or more sessions per day. Brands can reach users via video and display ads using Amazon’s advertising platform, or by teaming up with Twitch’s brand partnership studio to create custom ads and experiences.
· TikTok. With 100 million monthly active users in the U.S. alone, this video-only platform is one of the most popular platforms. While the TikTok has become more popular among older generations since the start of the pandemic, Gen Z still dominates and drives trends on TikTok. However, brands have spearheaded some of TikTok’s most widely viewed hashtag challenges, resulting in a flurry of user-generated commercials.
(Harvard Business Review, 03.11.21)
Are you interested in reaching younger audiences more effectively? It may be time to navigate into new social media platforms and explore new advertising techniques. If you have questions about how well your ads are connecting with your customers, H2R’s Ad Testing is the perfect solution. Contact us today for more information.
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